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How to Cook a Roast Sous Vide

Rub 2 rounded tablespoons kosher salt all over a 3- to 5-pound beef chuck roast or boneless pork shoulder. Truss the meat by tying twine around its width in 1-inch intervals.

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Credit
Stuart Isett for The New York Times

If desired, pre-sear the beef or pork shoulder for more flavor: In a Dutch oven, heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil on medium-high heat until slightly smoking, then sear the meat for about 2 minutes each side until brown.

Photo

Credit
Stuart Isett for The New York Times

Place the meat and 2 sprigs of rosemary inside a 1-gallon plastic freezer bag. If you skipped the pre-sear, add 1/4 cup of vegetable or olive oil to the bag.

Photo

Credit
Stuart Isett for The New York Times

Fill a large pot about halfway with water. Attach the sous-vide cooker to the pot and set to 140 degrees for cooking the pork shoulder (medium doneness), or 131 degrees for cooking the beef chuck (medium-rare). When water reaches the set temperature, submerge the bag halfway into the water and seal it as airtight as possible, pushing out any excess air and preventing any water from getting into the bag. Once the bag is fully submerged, cook for 24 hours. If water reduces throughout the day, add more water to the pot.

Photo

Credit
Stuart Isett for The New York Times

Remove the meat from the bag and transfer to a cutting board. Discard juices from bag or use as a base for a sauce. Cool meat for about 20 minutes.

Photo

Credit
Stuart Isett for The New York Times

Divide the meat into steaks: Remove twine and slice into 1-inch-thick steaks. If your roast is larger, in the 5-pound range, cut it in half first, then lay the halves on their flat side to slice into steaks. You should get 6 to 10 portions total, depending on the size of your roast. (This photo shows a 3-pound roast divided into 6 slices.)

Photo

Credit
Stuart Isett for The New York Times

If you’re not searing and eating steaks immediately, place each steak in a small plastic freezer bag. Seal as airtight as possible, pushing out any excess air. Place bags in freezer for up to 2 months. When you are ready to defrost steaks, heat a pot of water with the sous vide to 140 degrees for the pork or 131 degrees for the beef. Transfer a steak bag (multiple, if you are serving a group) from the freezer and submerge in water for 60 to 90 minutes. (Alternatively, remove from freezer the day before and defrost overnight in the refrigerator.)

Photo

Credit
Stuart Isett for The New York Times

Season each steak on both sides with salt and pepper. (For the pork, you can also rub 1 teaspoon brown sugar onto each steak for a little sweetness.) Heat a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat, add 1/4 cup vegetable oil and let it warm for a few minutes until oil shimmers and begins to smoke. Sear steaks for about a minute on each side until evenly brown. When you flip the steaks to the second side, add 1 tablespoon butter to the pan for each steak, along with fresh herbs (such as bay leaf or rosemary) and a crushed garlic clove.

Photo

Credit
Stuart Isett for The New York Times

Baste steaks with butter as they finish searing, then serve. You can sear up to 4 steaks at a time in a large skillet.